Djimon Hounsou was born April 24th, 1964. He was born in Cotonou, Benin. He emigrated to Lyon in France at the age of 12. After moving there, he dropped out of school and was homeless for a while. Fortunately for him a chance meeting with a photographer led him to meet with fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who encouraged him to pursue a modeling career. In 1987, he became a model and had a successful career while in Paris.
Between 1989 and 1991, Hounsou appeared in music videos for Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, Madonna, and En Vogue. His film debut was in 1990 in a film by Sandra Bernhard called Without You I’m Nothing. Due to his newfound notoriety he began receiving roles on television shows such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and ER. Hounsou has also been in numerous blockbuster films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Fast and Furious, Furious 7, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, and Beauty Shop.
Hounsou’s recent film, The King’s Man, is a film series about a secret spy agency. His role as Shola, a butler, shows his action skills along with his chivalry. Later in 2022, his fans can see him in the movies Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Black Adam.